I had an interesting experience last night that has got me thinking. We were sitting in the living room watching a movies when someone knocked on the door. Thinking it was the neighbors, I jumped up and answered . It was a nervous looking lady wearing a hoody pulled tight around her head. She looked to be hooked on something that doesn’t do nice things to a body. She mumbled something about how she was walking up the street going to another street and she needed a match or a lighter for a cigarette. I was kind of confused, said, “Okay!” and shut the door in her face. I ran to my room to grab some matches, went back to the door, and handed her some matches. I said, “They’re strike anywhere!” and shut the door in her face again. Afterwords, I felt kind of bad for her. I mean, I don’t know if she was some sort of drugged up serial killer or just a nervous lady down on her luck. Maybe she was just scouting to see if we had anything cool, or maybe she needed some food. Should I have done something different? How does a Christian balance compassion with personal safety?

I am going to pray for wisdom, and I am going to keep a round chambered.

I finally finished a book that has been on my list for a year and on my desk for three months: “Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered,” by E.F. Schumacher, published in 1973. In my sixth book of 2010 (I think–I’m starting to lose track), many good points were made, all to be ruined in by the last section.

In the middle of the book, Schumacher talks about “metaphysical” issues, that is, morality and its foundation. He talks about the despair that modern man has fallen into because of a lack of “meaning.” He lists six ideas that have come from modern scientists and philosophers (evolution, survival of the fittest, the idea that higher art, etc. is nothing more than economics, Freudian psychology, relativism, and positivism), which he sums up as “morality is bunk.” What is interesting is that all of these ideas were put forth by men who had a “mind well stocked with moral ideas” (had a good moral foundation), but after these ideas became mainstream “…all we got was bad metaphysics and appalling ethics.” People replaced the good moral foundation of those men with the ideas of those men. You may notice that this does not seem to have much to do with economics, and I agree. However, this is some of the good stuff that made me think.

It was the last part of the book that ticked me off. Schumacher tries to put forth socialism as a preferred method of organizing economics. It went from good, thoughtful insights about modern society to a plug for socialism. Threw me for a loop. I disagree with nearly all of his justifications. Mostly, he talks about how a free market turns into a tax loophole battle between the government and the wealthy that makes everyone else worse off. He doesn’t seem to realize that that it isn’t just a free market that hurts the little people. IT IS EVERY SOCIAL AND POLITCAL SYSTEM! Though he mentions that he is a Christian in the book, he doesn’t seem to realize that this is a fallen world. No system is going to work. The only thing we can do is limit the amount of damage done by “the system.” Socialism, which tries to regulate everything, is exactly opposite!

Okay—sorry… off the soapbox.

So, in short, “Small is Beautiful” is an interesting read that covers such diverse topics as morality, economics, ecology and economy. Some of the opinions in the book have been proven wrong by time, but some of them are still pressing issues. Use your best judgment, and make wise choices.

The Brady Campaign for gun control rates all the states, and MT got a 4 out of 100. The language they use just made me laugh, though–

Montana has weak gun laws that help feed the illegal gun market and allow the sale of guns without background checks. In the 2009 state scorecards released for all 50 states by the Brady Campaign, Montana earns just four points out of a total of 100.

“Since Montana does not require Brady criminal background checks on all firearm sales, including those at gun shows, gun traffickers don’t need to leave the state to funnel illegal guns to felons and gang members,” said Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign.

This just proves how clueless they are. Gun traffickers don’t need to leave the state to funnel illegal guns to felons and gang member? What the flip? Gang members? The mean streets of MT, yeah. I told my room mate that, and we decided to start a gang, since there aren’t any yet. Here, look at the demographics. Like, I think I know all three Mexicans who live in MT. And they’re all cool.

This is gonna be sweet. I think we are going to go shoot some cans, if you want to join. Really, we’re planning on doing nothing but ticking off the Brady Bunch.

My epic quest to keep track of what I read continues… I’m up to 4 books. Clearly, I have a dizzying intellect, but just wait till I get going!

I was reading a different book, which I haven’t finished yet, but I had to take a break and read something more personable. Thus, I give you the next book of 2010:

“Colonial Living,” by Edwin Tunis

This book, first published in 1957, was very enjoyable. As the back cover says, the book has “…lively text and detailed drawings….” The lively text comes across in phrases such as “Spelling continued to be largely an original art, even among well-educated people,” and the detailed drawings are all pen-and-ink drawings that show the people, devices, and buildings of the time. While some of the history is dated (heh.), and it has a definite pro-America tilt that whitewashes some important details about the British, the slaves, and the natives, it was still quite good. I always like to read history books that are “out of date” compared to the P.C.rap that you get from modern sources, and this one fits the bill admirably.

In my inbox, I had a nice little survey that my school wanted me to do: a Greenhouse Emissions Inventory. Presumably the folks in charge want to spend my tuition in ways I don’t agree with. I took the survey, all right.

The school name has been removed to protect the guilty.

The best part was, after I submitted it, the website said “Thank you for your cooperation.”

No problem. No problem at all. You want to waste my time? I am happy to waste yours.